Cherney, Blythe T.2011-08-252011-08-252011-05https://hdl.handle.net/11299/113795University of Minnesota M.A. thesis. June 2011. Major: Educational policy and administration. Advisor: Gerald Fry. 1 computer file (PDF); v, 75 pages, appendix A.Cost is a frequently cited barrier to study abroad participation. Despite the perceived constraint, study abroad participation has more than tripled in the past two decades. There remains, however, a lack of knowledge about how students who intend to study abroad conduct their search for a study abroad program and the role that cost plays in information gathering and the final selection of a study abroad program. Using college choice theory as a conceptual framework for understanding students’ decision-making processes, this exploratory study discusses results from ten qualitative interviews with prospective study abroad students at a large, public research institution. Their responses identify perceptions of cost, methods of information gathering, and approaches to financial planning for study abroad.en-USEducational policy and administrationThesis or Dissertation